I HAVE been a patient at Firdale Medical Centre for many years and have always admired their commitment to good healthcare.

However, it is very sad to see that the GPs and administrative staff chose to introduce Firdale Prescription Service, in partnership with Pharmacy 2U – which is based in Leeds – and is no longer supporting Hoggs Pharmacy which has served this community for over 28 years.

I thought supporting one’s community was something Northwich residents did with pride. Apparently not Firdale Medical Centre. Mr Hogg, and his staff has always given good service and has supported many good causes.

I can understand people wishing to make money and Firdale Medical Centre is no different. It is clear from the leaflet that I was sent, P2UFirdale LLP, trading as Firdale Prescriptions Service, that Firdale Medical Centre has a commercial interest in it.

But what I strongly object to is the private and confidential part. Why did they download my address and phone number to this company which it seems trade off patients to make extra cash? If a medical centre wants to cash in, have they never heard of private patients?

For anyone who visits their GP surgery for an appointment with a health professional, while waiting for their name to appear, wait for the section whereby the NHS asks for information about you to improve the service.

By stopping their access, you could protect yourself from being on another database. A lot of people, especially the elderly, would not realise their details were being released to third parties. There is something to be said for the green paper prescription that you can still have. That’s a choice, and the patient would have the control back.

I would not take away the fact that Firdale Medical Centre has served the community well and have won many awards for its work. But it really does need to go back to the drawing board on this situation and stop exploiting the people who have supported it for so long.

Remember Firdale Medical Centre, you would not have a practice if you did not have the patients. You could always consider relocating to Leeds and let the surgery be run by people who care and do support this community.

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